


Catradora Coffee Shop AU

by g00denough



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol, F/F, Fluff, Not Beta Read, adora is in college, catra is a barista, coffee shop AU, its just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:29:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28965396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/g00denough/pseuds/g00denough
Summary: Catra works as a barista. Adora is a stressed college student. This is just a short fluff piece.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 125





	Catradora Coffee Shop AU

Catra was going to lose it if that blonde girl clicked her pen one more time. She’s been at the shop for hours, coming in around halfway through Catra’s closing shift at the cafe. She ordered a black coffee and then dumped half the sugar into it when she first got here. Ever since she’s been cramped over her laptop, she even put blue light glasses on that Catra admittedly thought were cute. 

“Catra, I need the blender!” cut her out of the haze she was in. The ice scoop was still in her hand. 

She quickly dumped the ice and turned the blender on, the roar of the machine filling the space as Catra gave her coworker, Lonnie, a slightly apologetic smile. She finished her order and gave out the drinks as Lonnie started her own order at the blender. It was late, the cafe would only be open for another two hours. By this time Catra hardly has to make any orders, she just does the usual cleaning and prep for tomorrow at a leisurely pace as she people watches in the store and the street outside. 

Catra finds her stare going back to the blonde, who has thankfully ended her assault on the pen clicker. Now the pen was stuck in her hair, where it was held up in a loose bun. Catra felt a slight flush on her cheeks and looked down at her feet, the floor tiles are suddenly very artistic in Catra’s opinion.

Catra hadn’t been struck by a woman like that in a while. She was aware she was cute, she took her coffee order for her earlier. You would have to be blind to think she wasn’t attractive, Catra thought. But the way the flyaway hairs framed her face, and the glasses sat on her nose a little too low, the way she stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth. Something about the overtly stressed hot mess in front of Catra just did something to her. She took one steadying breath and looked back up. 

She’s gone. But her stuff is still there. Catra whips her head around the store-

“Hey,” comes in front of the register and for some unknown reason, Catra decides the display her ability to do circles in place as she spins around twice before stopping in front of the register. 

“Hi, welcome,” Catra says rather fast, “oh, uh. I mean, not welcome… uh- I’ve seen you here for a while today,” Catra is stuttering so much. She closes her eyes just a little too long to be considered a blink and sucks in a quick breath, “How can I help you?” she says with a straight voice. 

The blonde girl Catra _was_ starring at looks like she is attempting to process what Catra just said. She looks at the barista and then zones in on the name tag, “Catra?” she starts saying-

“Yes!” Catra responds too fast and too loud.

_Get it together Catra, she’s just a hot girl. Keep your gay panic away from work._

“Oh, um. I’m Adora,” the blonde says as she gives Catra a soft smile. She starts to squint at the drink menu and then suddenly remembers she’s wearing glasses. “Dang,” Adora says as she takes the glasses off, “I always forget when I wear these.” She keeps looking at the menu as she shakes out her hair and goes back to clicking the pen, “I normally just get black coffee and put sugar in, but I’m kinda in need of something a little stronger tonight,” Adora says out loud. Catra isn’t sure if it was just a thought or if it was directed at her, “suggest anything, Catra?” 

Okay, so it was directed at her. “Um, well if you need some energy,” Catra stammers, “Espresso is the easiest.”

Adora looks at Catra, then back at the menu, “Uh, it’s not really an energy thing. More like ‘super stressed and super tired but really need to finish this paper’ type of drink?” Adora giggles and she tries to laugh off her stressed response. “Have anything like that?” she asks as she rubs the back of her head. 

Catra looks at the woman in front of her. Definitely in college, she’s probably around Catra’s age really. “Well,” Catra says, her voice dropping an octave, “I could give you an extra _shot_ if you want?” Catra says with a very clear wink. 

It wouldn’t be the first time someone asked her to make a spiked coffee, Adora certainly wouldn’t be the last either. Not many people have the balls to ask the barista to do it, Catra finds single shot glasses in the recycle all the time, but some are brave enough to ask. She doesn’t mind it either, as long as her manager isn’t here. Every barista does it, at least at this little shop. It’s just a matter of asking nicely. 

Adora’s eyes seem to sparkle a little, “That’s like extra strong coffee right?” she asks Catra. 

Catra crossed her arms, “Yeah, it is. And I’ll throw in a _special_ shot too- If you want,” she winked again for good measure but anyone paying any attention could spot the innuendo, “what’s your poison,” Catra asks. 

Adora has a smug grin before saying, “surprise me,” she even **winks back** to Catra as she leaves a $5 bill on the counter and looks up. Adora gives Catra one last smile, “I’ll be at my table,” and she turns to walk away. 

Catra turns and shakes a whole shiver out of her body before walking to the back room. She throws her locker open. Normally she charges an extra few dollars if the customers don’t already have their own alcohol to use. She keeps a small inventory from the corner store across the street: vodka, rum, whiskey, even tequila. It’s cheap and it works, no one complains. Catra mewls over her small selection before finally plucking one of the caramel whiskey shots from the back. 

Catra returns to the front where she starts making the drink for Adora, a triple espresso shot caramel latte. Catra pulls one of their medium cups from the shelf and starts writing on it. She finishes the drink and then quickly opens the single-shot whiskey and dumps it on top before stashing it back in her apron before anyone sees it. Catra takes a stirrer and mixes the drink quickly and tops it with whipped cream like usual. She slides the heat guard over her writing and looks up at Adora, who has returned to her work. 

Sure, she could easily just call Adora’s name and leave it at that, but where’s the fun there? So Catra walks around the counter and out towards the tables. Adora is still crouched at her laptop, the screen reflecting in her blue light glasses that she has put back on. She’s sticking her tongue out again in concentration and it pains Catra that she can’t just take a picture of this beautiful woman. She clears her throat, “Adora, your coffee,” Catra says as she hands it out for her. 

Adora jumps a little in surprise, “Oh uh, thanks Catra. I didn’t know they served it at the tables,” Adora’s eye goes wide real quick in panic, “Oh god, I hope you didn’t call my name and I missed it, did I?" She asks with worry. 

_Dear Lord, she’s adorable_ Catra thinks, “No, no. You’re fine. We’re slow and I wanted to bring it out to you. I can tell you’re focused,” Catra reassures her as she finally hands the coffee off. 

Adora holds the warm cup in her hands gratefully, intaking the smell coming from the coffee. “Smells great!” she says, “thank you, Catra.” She looks back at her coffee and then backs up at Catra, who has yet to make a move since they traded the coffee off. Adora looks around herself, “Um, Catra,” she says, “Do you need something?” 

Catra huffs, “No, why?” 

“You’re still here,” Adora states matter-of-factly as she continues to examine the coffee cup. 

“Oh,” Catra responds, “I wanted to see you taste the drink-” she trails off as she starts to turn, “but it’s fine.”

Adora all but yells, “Wait! Of course I’ll taste it. Smells like caramel,” she says with a big smile. 

Catra can’t help but let a small grin sneak onto the edge of her mouth as Adora finally sips the coffee. 

All of a sudden Adora starts the cough and her eyes go a little wide. She doesn’t cause a scene to anyone but Catra. Adora swallows cautiously and then licks her lips before looking back up at Catra. “Hey, uh-” she stammers, “this has alcohol in it,” she whispers. 

Catra does giggle at that, “I know, I put it in there myself,” she laughs. Adora still seems confused as Catra’s face starts to go slack, “did you- did you not?” Catra is trying to ask this discreetly, “Did you not pick that up when you were ordering?” 

Adora squints at the cup again and brings it to her lips as she takes a long sip. This time she doesn’t gag on it and by the time she swallows the sip, she seems genuinely pleased. “Actually, I am terrible at picking up queues, so no, I did not know you were gonna spike my drink,” Adora finishes. 

“I’m so sorry, I thought you knew-” Catra starts going off but then Adora sips it again and releases a content sigh. 

“This is actually just what I needed, thank you,” she says. Catra sighs in relief, the last thing she wants is to accidentally get someone drunk or something. Even if it is just one shot. 

Catra laughs nervously, “I could grab you a cookie or something? So you don’t drink that on an empty stomach. On the house of course,” she finishes as Adora begins to scan her up and down with her eyes. Catra glares back just as flirtatious, “So that cookie?”

Adora locks eyes with her again, “no thanks, I’ll be fine.” She puts the coffee on the table, “What time do you close again?”

“We close at 10,” she answers easily, “anything else?” 

Adora gives her another smile, “no, thanks again,” she says and starts back on her work. Catra turns and walks back to the counter. 

She’s about halfway back to the register when her phone rings. Catra pulls it out of her pocket, it’s a number she doesn’t recognize. She declines the call and starts to put the phone back in her pocket when the same number calls her again. She accepts this time but doesn’t say anything, letting whoever called speak first. 

“So, would you be interested in getting drinks sometime with me?” a woman's voice says. 

Catra turns on her heel back towards Adora. She has the heat guard twirling around her finger, phone in the other hand as she gives Catra a shit-eating grin. She stops twirling the guard and then turns the coffee cup to face Catra, where her name and phone number are written in black sharpie, “Or do you give every girl your number?” 

Catra returns the shit-eating grin, “I’m off work at 10:30, think you’ll be free by then?” she answers. 

“I think I can manage that,” Adora says, still on the phone. 

“It’s a date,” Catra smiles as she hangs up on Adora, still making eye contact across the cafe. 

Catra turns to return to work but Adora yells from across the room, “I’m buying the first round though, no arguing!” 

Catra crashes her eyes shut and winces, everyone in the cafe turns to look at the sudden yell but Adora didn’t seem to care as she casually turned her focus back to her laptop after her announcement. 

Catra mouths a very silent _OH MY GOD_ before walking away. Lonnie is smirking at Catra and then looks up at Adora across the room. Lonnie yells out, “She’ll be off at 10! And she likes tequila!” she howls with a laugh. Catra all but slaps Lonnie as her face goes red. Adora even shouts a thank you as Catra drags Lonnie to the back room. “You can thank me later,” Lonnie squeaks out with a laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thinking of doing little one-shots and AUs like this because I'll actually finish them :)


End file.
